Arizona House weakens bill on gun safety

A toned-down bill given tentative approval by the Arizona House of Representatives would require that Arizona’s younger students be reminded at least once a year to leave guns alone.

The bill (HB 2225), which originally would have required firearms safety training in all schools, was amended Feb. 15 to keep safety programs as electives for grades 7 through 12.

Elementary schools would have to provide safety training such as the National Rifle Association’s Eddy the Eagle program, which tells kids who find a weapon to “stop, don’t touch, leave the area, and tell an adult.”

Representatives approved the measure while meeting as a committee of the whole House on a voice vote. At press time, the bill was awaiting a final floor vote in the House before heading to the Senate for consideration.

“This is very simple,” said Rep. Linda Gray, R-Glendale. “Children that age have no business handling a gun.”

The House rejected an amendment by Rep. Ken Cheuvront, D-Phoenix, that would promoted promote abstinence regarding the use of guns as the state does in sexual education.

Rep. John Loredo, D-Phoenix, called the programs “an easy sell for guns to kids” and argued that talking to kids about firearms is a job parents should be doing already.